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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Johnson County, Arkansas published by Southern Publishing Company in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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W. W. Rogers is a young gentleman who has rapidly and surely made his way to the front among the energetic business men of this community, and although only thirty-six years of age he has, by attending strictly to each minor detail of his calling, built up a trade that is second to none in this section. He was born in this county January 16, 1854, being one of fourteen children—six sons and eight daughters—born to Josiah and Harriet (Smith) Rogers, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Missouri, their marriage taking place in Arkansas. In 1861 they removed to Texas, where Mr. Rogers engaged in stock-raising, but in 1867 returned to Arkansas and settled in Johnson County (now Logan),where he bought a good farm on the Arkansas River and followed tilling the soil until his death, which occurred in July, 1878, his wife’s death occurring two years earlier. Mr. Rogers was captain of a company of Home Guards in Texas during the war, and was a man whose reputation during a long and varied career remained unblemished. W. W. Rogers was married November 12, 1874, to Miss Anna Truscott, a daughter of J. J. Truscott, of Illinois, and in time a family of six children gathered about their board: Arles A., Vera, Escur E., Durand D., Burus B. and Zeral Z. The eldest five are attending school near their home. During the years 1876-77 Mr. Rogers was in the mercantile business with Rogers & Hunt at Clarksville, and during this time they did a yearly business of $18,000 on a capital stock of $8,000. In the last named year Mr. Rogers sold out and became a traveling salesman for the firm of Scharff, Bernheimer & Co., of St. Louis, Mo., remaining in their employ during the spring and summer of 1888. In September of that year he bought out the firm of A. A. Burleson & Co., at Hartman, the stock at that time being worth $1,500, has since increased it to $6,000, and is now doing a very prosperous business, in connection with which he also buys and ships cotton, and will in this year, in all probability purchase from 350 to 400 bales. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he belongs to Palatine Commandry No. 7, of the A. F. & A. M., at Russellville. He is one of the county’s most highly esteemed citizens, and as a business man has been exceptionally prosperous. His brother Emanuel is a clerk in his store, and besides this he has another brother and five sisters living.

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This family biography is one of 65 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Johnson County, Arkansas published in 1891.  For the complete description, click here: Johnson County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Johnson County, Arkansas family biographies here: Johnson County, Arkansas

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